We want to share with the Tin Can Tourists the unexpected fun we had with our 1973 Travco motor home in December. My husband decided to “exercise” the motor home since the weather was still good (no snow yet). He was driving downtown South Bend, Ind., when he heard a tap on the window at a red light. The lady who is the coordinator for events at the State Theater stopped him to ask if he would park his motor home under the marquee at the theater all day on Saturday Dec 6th. They were having a showing of the movie National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. Our RV does not look like Cousin Eddie’s home but it is the same year. She offered us $25 and free tickets to the show if we would park under marquee from 11am – 9pm. There were events downtown including Santa’s arrival. That night at the show some people dressed up like characters from the movie or worn ugly Christmas sweaters. She put a picture of our motor home on the State Theater face book page. Our relatives in Florida and California saw it. We got several comments. Most common, paraphrasing Cousin Eddie, “Shitter’s full.” We had a really good time.

After a good nights’ rest, I was happy to awake to a much warmer and sunny morning! I fixed the coffee for the morning and set out all the donuts I had for the members out under my awning. All the other members started to get up and about ready for the last day of open house. The crowds were rather slow most of the morning, which is typical at the event every Sunday but with one last Civil War Re-enactment after lunch the crowds would start growing as that time grew near.

We took advantage of the slow time to induct our new TCT members, and we had quite a few first timers at this event!!!

By 10am things were really slowing down and since we had heard from a visitor yesterday about a real old trailer just down the road on some property for sale Tommy was ready to get out and go for a drive! So we jumped in the truck to try and find this ‘old’ trailer. We just knew it would likely end up a late 70’s or newer trailer just like so many other fruitless excursions. After driving a short distance there it was! A 1952 Royal Spartanette just off the road next to an old house that was falling in. There was a real estate sign right between the house and trailer. The trailer has likely seen the last of its pulling days but there are still some great pars on the exterior and it appears to have all the original pieces inside the trailer, although the rear bedroom and front living room is trashed the center kitchen and bathroom appeared to be all original through the window. We may just have to research the real estate agent to find out about parting this trailer out before it all ends up in a dumpster once the acreage sells.

After driving around a little more and finding a few other trailers we decided to head back to our trailers. I decided it was finally time for me to fix my truck that was overheating all the way up to the event. I assumed it was a pretty simple fix of changing out the clutch fan…..since I already changed the water pump, radiator cap, water lines, and thermostat just this week! Changing the clutch fan was not as simple of a fix as I forgot to put my tool box in the truck. Tommy drove me around town to get the tools and the parts I needed to fix my truck. Thankfully with such a slow show day I was able to focus all my time on getting the truck fixed before the event was over this afternoon.

About 4 hours later I was finally done with changing the clutch fan on the truck. Just in time to start packing up the trailer and getting ready to head home. Everyone was walking around and saying their good byes, and started to pack up and hooking up their trailers. We all had to hook up one at a time as the first in line would have to pull out before the next trailer could hook up. Thankfully everyone timed it just right and as one trailer would pull out the next was just ready to hook up and move forward. I was one of the last to hook up and just pulled forward a bit to wait for Jim and Donna to get hooked up and ready to pull out as we were going to follow each other as we live in the same town.

By 5pm we were ready to hit the road! I was in front and Jim and Donna were behind with their 1958 Yellowstone. As my luck would have it, my truck started to overheat AGAIN only about 15 miles down the road. I called Jim on his phone and told them to drive on, as I figured it was only the fact that there may have been air in the radiator and it would just need some more water put in it once it cooled down. So I pulled off the side of the road and waited for the truck to cool down a bit, added water to the radiator and hit the road once again. Another 10 miles down the road and here we go again! Thankfully this time I made it to a gas station, but as my luck goes there was no water hose or place to get water at the gas station. So I parked the truck and walked to all four corners in this little one red light town looking for water….nothing at the closed car wash, but there was a small gas station on the other corner with a long water hose out back. So I walked back to the truck which had cooled down enough to cross the street and pulled behind the gas station into the grass field. I filled the truck up with water as well as the extra jugs I had in the back of the truck and the onboard water tank in the trailer that was empty from this weekend’s camping. I felt much better having a full water tank on the trailer, there is very little between this last little town and home! Onward again! Once on the road I slowly watched the truck heat back up, made it about 12 miles and had to pull over, as I suspected in the middle of NOWHERE! Thankfully I had more than enough water to refill the radiator which was not really leaking water, just replacing what was boiling out/over flowing. By this time I realized it was going to take forever, so I called my father and told him to call a couple of our employees and get the other truck and head my way. I knew I could likely make it to the next town where there was a place I could park and have the guys take the trailer to our shop and my father and I could figure out a way to get the truck home. After making that call the truck was cool enough to hit the road again and I made it to the next little town of Bruce FL were the truck was overheating again and it was just starting to get dark, but I decided to make one more last ‘trip’ once the truck cooled down and I refilled it again I decided to drive the short 6 miles trip, over a long bridge to the little town of Ebro where there was a good size truck stop with plenty of lights and space to hook the trailer up to the other truck once they arrived. So ONE MORE TIME I hit the road and made it to the little town (more of a four way stop!) of Ebro FL. Finally I was a little over halfway home, so I parked the truck and went inside the truck stop to grab a bite to eat at the Subway store inside. By the time I finished eating the guys pulled in the truck stop. We looked at my truck for a while and could only determine that the radiator must be clogged enough to overheat the truck after running for about 10 miles. So we hooked up the trailer to the other truck and my father and I jumped into my truck to see if we could get it the rest of the 25 miles home. Amazingly luck was on our side and without the trailer in tow my truck made it all the way home without overheating, it did get warmer than it should, but not enough the actually over heat. I finally pulled into the driveway by 730 pm!!! WHAT A TRIP!

Today is a promise of much a bit warmer weather, but awoke to 30 degrees when it was only forecasted to reach 38 so it is not looking good so far! I walked down to St Agatha’s Church once again for a hot breakfast and the rest of our group was not far behind me. We all enjoyed our hot to order breakfast in a warm setting. After breakfast it was time to head back to our trailers and get ready for the public to come tour our rigs. Thankfully the weather was starting to clear up a bit and the threat of rain was moving on out, but there was still a cool breeze going on making it feel a little cold if you were not right in the sun.

There were many great vendors offering everything from drinks, BBQ, frontier cooked meals, Dutch oven cooked food, and of course more conventional stuff like deep fired Oreos, Twinkies, and Funnel Cakes!!!!

There were many more people out today to view the trailers, and we kept a steady flow throughout most the day. By lunch the crowds slacked a little but likely due to lunch time as well as the Civil War re-enactment that was scheduled across the lake. After lunch the crowds picked back up, especially since most people had to walk right by the trailers on their way back from the re-enactment. Later in the day we were surprised by this great looking 1959 Ideal trailer that drove by to meet all the other TCT members and to see our trailers that were on display, of course we all wanted to see their trailer!

Finally by late afternoon the weather had warmed up a bit and all the hit or miss rain mist was over. After the event was over for the day we all gathered by the fire and had a fun telling all kinds of stories! I decided to hit he bed around 9pm as it had been a long day, but many of the other members sat around and used up the last of our large stock of fire wood well past 11pm!

Woke up not long after midnight to the sound of rain on the roof of the trailer and it wasn’t long before it was really coming down hard! I looked outside to make sure the awning was still standing strong and after a quick leak check of all the windows and roof vent I jumped back into bed(thankfully no leaks! This is the first hard rain this trailer has ever seen since being restored so I was a little nervous). There is no better sound to sleep to than falling rain on the roof of a vintage trailer.

Around 4 am I woke up again as the rain was really coming down now! In fact the street all our trailers are set up on looked like a river when I took a look out the window. No strong winds or storms, just a hard strong rain or as a good friend calls ‘A Toad-Strangler’ (Google it). After one last leak check I decided to go back to sleep. Once again I awoke around 530am to the sound of my awning collapsing a little from all the heavy rain, seemed one of my stakes pulled up from the soaked ground and was allowing the awning to collect a lot of water. Thankfully the rain was slacking off a little so I put on my shoes and coat to head out and do battle with the rain and awning. Got the awning back up and slanted it quite a bit to allow the water to flow off. By now I was wide awake and decided to just stay up and get on the computer for a while since breakfast started at 7am.

As 7am approached I got dressed and headed down to St. Agatha’s Church who was cooking a hot made to order breakfast for all our members (will do it again tomorrow). They have 4 different choices that rival Cracker Barrel! I enjoyed the 2 eggs (poached) with 4 slices of Bacon, 4 pieces of Toast, a huge pile of home fries, and orange juice. Most of the other TCTers followed shortly behind me and we all enjoyed a hot breakfast together.

After Breakfast the weather was clearing up a little and we went back to our trailers to set up for the open house. Even with a light rain there were quite a few people out and about to tour the trailers. Most of the day was hit or miss with the rain and the crowds were pretty good for the weather and being a Friday. Later in the afternoon the weather started to get better and more people were out walking around. Tomorrow should be much better weather with Sun all day and clear skies.

At 5 pm we all headed over to Alex’s house just a few blocks away for a pizza party. Alex was a great hostess and gave us a tour/history of her 1938 home in the historic district as well as all the great personal artwork that she has done not forgetting the great art pieces from fellow TCTer John Murphy. After dinner we all gathered and had a gift exchange party which was a blast! Around 830 most of us headed back to our trailers to get a good nights rest for tomorrow. With much better weather forecasted tomorrow it is sure to be a very busy day.

Once again time to hit the road for a TCT Rally, well more of a historical trailer display for the Defuniak Springs Florida Chautauqua Celebration. I woke up this morning a little later than most morning that I travel since the event is only about 45 miles away. So I headed down to my storage shop to pick up the trailer I plan to take, this time I will be bringing a 1953 Viking Coach to display. We will also have 7 other TCTers bringing their trailers as well.

I arrived at my shop around 9am and finished packing a few last minuet items in the trailer, hooked up the trailer, checked all the lights, washed the trailer, and filled the water tank. I was now ready to hit the road, but realized I forgot my coffee pot so I figured I would stop back by the house as it was on the way out of town. When I arrived back home I realized my truck was running a little hot, but not bad so I just checked the radiator and it was a little low, after filling it all the way up I headed out for the road once again. I only made it about 20 miles north when the truck started to overheat again! Couldn’t figure out why this was happening…..I just changed the water pump as well as the thermostat just this week! Anyway the truck cooled down and I had two empty jugs in the back of the truck, took them back to the trailer and filled them with water from the trailers fresh water tank using the water to refill the radiator from the water that was lost from overheating. Finally back on the road again!

Another 15 or so miles the truck started to overheat again!!!! Pulled over at a truck stop hoping they would have some tools that I could buy/use to take the new thermostat out of the truck just to make it to the venue. No luck!!! So I waited for the truck to cool down again and used the trailers water tanks again to fill the radiator back up. I was hoping to make it another 15 miles to the next town, as I pulled out I was passed at the cross intersection by a Jim and Donna pulling their 1958 Yellowstone (they were going to the same event) so as soon as the red light changed I tried to catch up with them, I figured Jim would have the tools I needed to fix my truck. For 10 miles I tried to call Jim on his cell phone, blew the horn right behind him, swerved over the line trying to get him to see me, flashed my lights, and even waving like an idiot with my hands out the window……but no luck, Jim and Donna were in their own world! I was forced to pull over again as the truck was overheating again!

AGAIN, pulled over, waited for the truck to cool down a bit, refilled the radiator from all the over flow that steamed out and back on the road. Looked like I was only going to get their 10 miles at a time! So once again I was limping along trying to keep the truck as cool as possible. Just my luck……ROAD CONSTRUCTION, with one lane closed on a two lane highway! At least it gave me a chance to sit for about 15 min never moving with the engine off….once traffic started moving again I cranked the truck and it had enough time to cool down quite a bit and I was finally able to make it to a large enough town with an automotive shop. I pulled in and went inside to buy the tools I needed to take the thermostat out of the truck, but of course I ended up making three trips inside the store buying all the parts and tools that I needed….next time I will remember to pack my tools, this is the first time I have ever forgot to pack the tools in the truck!

Finally got the thermostat out and bought a new radiator cap just in case that was the problem as well. Had to refill the radiator AGAIN, and back on the road hoping this was the last stop. Only 15 miles from the destination, surely I could make it no matter what…..WRONG! 10 miles down the road, same thing!!! No water was leaking out of the truck, just overheating and boiling over of water!!! I cannot figure it out!!! So once again on the side of the road, waited for the truck to cool, and refilling the radiator from the trailers water tank. I also took the radiator hoses off to make sure they were not blocked somehow!

Last leg, only 5 miles away, surely I could make it now! AGAIN, WRONG!!! 1 mile from the finally destination, as soon as I passed the Defuniak Springs City Limits Sign…. I saw what can only be described as Old Faithfull under my hood!!!!! WATER and STEAM everywhere…..pulled over at a gas station and opened the hood (for once the temperature on the truck was very low….all the water spraying on the engine cooled it down quickly) However it came from a broken water fitting on the engine. One last time I filled the radiator with water, knowing it would start coming out the broken fitting, but figured I had less than a mile and would take my chances in getting to the exhibit area just a few blocks away. I took it easy coasting to each red light and shutting the engine off when I reached enough speed to make it to the next red light / stop sign. It worked and I made it to my final destination!!!!!!!

I backed the trailer into place, parked the truck and decided not to even bother with the truck until tomorrow. I set up the trailer and helped get all the other trailers that arrived parked into place. So far today we have a 1965 Aristocrat Mainliner, 1958 Yellowstone, 1963 Shasta, 1953 Viking, 1965 Shasta Compact, 1948 Spartan Manor, and a 1966 Norris…..one more to come tomorrow, a 1952 Vagabond.

At 5pm we had a small meet and greet and sat around the camp fire until 930pm. hopefully the weather tomorrow will not be too bad, it is forecasted to rain quite a bit tonight and most of the day tomorrow. It has been a VERY long day and I am ready for a good night’s rest.

Please submit your best vintage trailer photos for consideration in the 2015-2016 Tin Can Tourists Calendar.
The theme is “Home Sweet Home Away From Home”
This year just send me a couple of good exterior photos of your vintage trailer. If you have a vintage tow vehicle include a shot with the trailer and tow vehicle together as well. I will use one or the other depending on the composition.
This year you do not need any interior shots, no vintage owners manuals or fancy roadside attractions. Just a great shot of your treasure on wheels. I am hoping this will encourage folks who have not entered before to send in pictures.
Last year’s calendar went fast and we have had a lot of requests for a copy after they were gone!

REQUIREMENTS: Your photo should be high resolution, original size and without people in the shot.
Please include your name, home address as well as the year and model of your rig.

In 2009 we purchased our first vintage trailer. (Travelmate) My husband, John wasn’t so sure about owning a vintage trailer as we were long time tent campers when we lived in Texas. I convinced him to give it a try and we found an 18ft on Craig List that seemed like a good deal so we purchased it. I set about to painting and fixing it up. We camped in it a few times and fell in love with having a vintage trailer but it didn’t take long to determine that the floor plan didn’t work for us.

69 Avion Argonaut A25 – While our friends were visiting from Texas, we all went camping. They enjoyed the trailer so much that we did a quick search on craiglist to see what was available… we didn’t find anything for them but we did find our Avion. It was a really good deal so we were sure that the photos were deceptive… they weren’t and we brought it home and sold the other one.

48 Spartanette 24 – In 2013, I found a Spartanette for a friend and as payback she scored this 24 ft for us. She called and said, “can you come up this weekend, I have something you want to see”. We purchased it from her and started restoration. We love the lines of the Spartanette trailers and while most prefer the Spartan main line of Manors and Mansions, we prefer the Spartanette. It needs lots of work and we are stalled at the metal work needed. We’ll get back to it.

48 Spartan Manor Tandem – In Dec. 2014, frustrated with the slow process of the Spartanette, I reached out to someone who told me they’d found a Spartan Manor in a town close to us. They gave me the info and met us to introduce us to the owner. We purchased it that day. It is all original down to the sconces and Kimsul insulation. Our goal is to make this our event trailer and once completed with the Spartanette, we will sell this one.

When and who did the restoration?

We have always done the work ourselves. Luckily we have a wonderful group of TCT members who are always willing to offer suggestions to a variety of questions.

What is unique or interesting about your trailer?

The 69 Avion is unique in that it is mostly original. We’ve been told it looks too new and folks don’t think it’s vintage. That would indicate we’ve done a good job with it. While not the show piece that a Spartan is, we absolutely love it. It tows like a dream and is incredibly comfortable. We don’t plan to sell it but to use it as often as possible. The 1948 Spartanette 24 is a first year production model and #144 to come off the line. This trailer will eventually be restored and be our event/rally trailer. The 1948 Spartan Manor Tandem was a special order as there were not many Tandems made in 1948. The manor will be our first full restoration and will be used as an event trailer until the Spartanette is restored.

What do you like about vintage trailers?

I’ve always had a passion for vintage. It’s the memories of a bygone era where people slow down and take the time to get to know each other. Becoming a member of TCT has given me the opportunity to pursue my vintage passion and share it with others.

Have you been to many rallies and what do you like about them?

As a state rep for TCT, I’ve been hosting rallies and gatherings for over 4 years. Unfortunately I’ve never attended rallies in other areas and as the participation in the area that I cover has grown (NC, SC & GA), I never have enough time to get to any other events. My goal is to go to MI for a big event in the near future.

What clubs do you belong to? – Just TCT

Can you share an interesting bit of information that most people don’t know about yourself? – I’m pretty much an open book; I love to cook, I’m an avid photographer, enjoy our Australian shepherds and am an amateur genealogist. Something people don’t know is that my earliest memories are sitting on my grandfather’s knee in his workshop learning to use a hand held plainer. I must have been 4 at the time. In the years that followed learned to refinish antiques and do a variety of antique restorations with my father. I’m been drawn to beautiful wood and woodwork my entire life.

How did you get involved with the TCT and what made you decide to become a rep? After searching for years for a vintage trailer, once we acquired our first one I contacted TCT about events in our area. There were none within 8-10 hours of us. Terry suggested that I host an event and I agreed. While small (16 trailers) it was a fantastic event and everyone had fun. The next year we added a spring event and a facebook page for NC, SC and GA. One day I received a message from Terry Bone offering me the opportunity to become a state rep. I was hesitant, what did I know about being a state rep? I told him that I would accept when I sold out my first rally. Thinking that would be a year or so down the road. I was wrong as just 3 weeks later we were sold out and I received another message from Terry. Now over 4 years later we are selling out events 6 months in advance with 82 trailers attending and our little facebook page has over 1,000 members.

What is your favorite part of hosting a rally? What is your most memorable rally experience? Hosting a rally is no small task, even with just a few in attendances. Being able to provide vintage enthusiasts the opportunity to meet others with the same passions as they have has to be the most rewarding part of every event is what drives me. Each rally/gathering is special but there is always one time that is incredibly fulfilling to me. (Generally on Thursday mid-day) I stop for a brief moment and watch as all of the trailers arrive. You can feel the momentum and energy rise while you hear people yelling “hello” to old friends they hadn’t seen in a while, others running to great folks as they pull in and the look of amazement of the new folks as they wait in line. It is a dream realized and in that moment the clarity of what we’ve accomplished in this area is clearly visible. For me, this is a moment I cherish.

What is unique about your region/state in terms of camping or the community? Our region provides opportunities to attend events almost every month out of the year. The lower portion of the region hosts events from November – April while the upper half hosts from April – November. The area I support (NC, SC, GA) is unique because we are located in close proximity to other border states. We also have the advantage of a gorgeous coastline and beautiful mountains. We have had a supporting facebook page for over two years that allows for internal communication for our area as well as states that surround us. That group is Southern Vintage Trailer Friends on Facebook

What future plans do you have for the region/state? In mid 2014 we took a survey and from that we found that participants wanted more gatherings. So our goal for 2015 is to host more gatherings and provide various opportunities throughout the area for members to host casual weekend trips in their area. We will have two structured formal rallies in April (Tybee Island, GA) and in September (Maggie Valley, NC) with numerous casual gatherings throughout the area from April – November.

Every rally host brings their own unique flavor to a rally, what is it that you bring? My background as a corporate trainer and HR director has given me the opportunity to plan corporate events of all sizes. I utilize these skills when planning an event. I take pride in having developed a rally pack that provides a great deal of information for each participant to review prior to and during the event.

How can members/participants help in your region or at rallies? As our area has grown so has the need for event hosts. Last year Joy Taylor and Wayne Colson stepped up to head events in their area. This year we are adding Brent Walker, Matt Whitesides, Penny Stith and Kelly Sloop to the list of event hosts. If anyone in our area would like to host a gathering, all they need to send me a message and I’ll do everything I can to help them with it. As our rallies have grown we have implemented a “Rally Committee” and each committee chair is responsible for coordinating their responsibility area. We are very lucky to have a committed creative group of volunteers in our area and I take full advantage of their skills. Each and every one of them is the reason our events are so much fun and now sell out so far in advance. Breaking it down into committees has helped streamline the process of planning and executing the particulars within an event. Our committee chairs always welcome volunteer assistance so should anyone want to get involved on a small scale, that’s the best way to get your feet wet in the event.

Paul and Tracy Bridges, Fort Smith, Arkansas

We are new to Tin Can Tourists but I’ve been involved in trailering most of my pre-married life. Tracy and I were married in 1981 and moved from California to Arkansas with my job. When President Reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers, I decided to apply and they sent us to Fort Smith where we’ve been ever since. Since leaving the FAA I’ve been a Christian School administrator and a Pastor, and I am currently the Superintendent of Union Christian Academy in Fort Smith. Tracy is a Certified Financial Planner.

We have a 1958 Rainbow that my grandfather purchased new. I’ve chronicled the whole story on a blog, www.1958rainbow.blogspot.com. My dad bought it from him in 1962 and I inherited the trailer from him, so in its lifetime the Rainbow has been towed with:

1958 Ford Custom 300 4-door

1959 Ford Country Sedan

1964 Ford Country Sedan

1971 Ford Country Sedan

…And we tow it with my 1996 Ford F-250. Sorry I broke the run of Country Sedan’s. (By the way – you know the script – my grandfather and my dad always bought for utility, never for luxury. So the Country Sedan’s did just fine and there was no need for a ‘Country Squire’).

The trailer is all original and has not been restored. Dad parked it on our property in southwest Utah in about 1977 under a covered roof, and that kept the trailer preserved in remarkable condition. I still haven’t been able to get the refrigerator working, but the heater, stove, and plumbing is all in great shape.

The interesting thing about this trailer, I think, is its history. I’ve just not found a lot of enthusiasts that have been able to find and/or restore an antique or vintage classic that is the original family-owned relic. And every once in awhile I will get a brief smell of “Utah” or “the trailer” that floods my mind with memories.

We’ve enjoyed the looks, the thumbs-up, the pictures that people take and the talks at gas stations that occasionally happen with towing a vintage trailer. On the way home from Utah this summer at a gas stop – now remember, this trailer had not rolled in 35 years – a gentleman asked if he could look inside as he wanted to know who did the restoration work. He couldn’t believe it when I said it was all original and had not been restored. I could tell in his reminiscing that it brought back a lot of great memories for him. That’s what I enjoy about vintage trailers!

We have not attended any rallies with the trailer yet, as we are just getting it back on the road, and our membership is with Tin Can Tourists. We are also members of the Fort Smith Antique Auto Club and I’ll be joining the Model T Ford Club of America soon as we also have a 1924 Model T.

In closing, we are excited about our new venture with a vintage trailer. As we are approaching retirement, we’re beginning to plan some travels we want to make. We’ll be taking the Rainbow to Yellowstone in June and we’re beginning to plan a 48-state voyage in the new “tin can”. Thanks for being so welcoming to TCT!

Meet Al Hesselbart, recently retired as Historian for the RV/MH Hall Of Fame and Museum.

I recently retired after 20 years as the historian for the museum, sold my Elkhart home of 35 years, and changed my home base to Florida.

My current RV, and now my home, is a 1978 custom made 35 foot Newell diesel pusher motor home, but in my 15 year history with TCT I have attended conventions and gatherings originally with a 1961 9×12 canvas tent that I purchased new, a 1962 Yellowbird folding tent trailer, and a1984 micro-mini 17 foot motor home. I found my Newell sitting in a farm field near Ligonier, Indiana, with a “For Sale” sign in its window. Its owner of 12 years had found a larger Newell and needed cash for restoration of his new one. Recognizing Newell’s place in building the finest class A motor homes in the industry, I purchased it less than one hour after first laying eyes on it after a short test drive and reviewing its mechanical history. My restoration consisted of a wash job and some cleaning inside. I have made a few upgrades but it is mostly 1978 original. It includes 2 AC units and 6 furnaces (3 propane and 3 electric) plus a heater in the water and storage bays below. It has a 10,000 KW diesel generator which allows me to supply power to 2 or 3 units beside myself when needed. The power plant is the original Cummins VT555 (triple nickel) V8 engine coupled to an Allison 5 speed automatic transmission that provides about 8 miles per gallon for the 30,000 pound apartment on wheels. I have a 200 gallon fuel tank and 100 gallons of fresh water and 100 gallons of waste capacity.

My history with TCT began with assisting Forrest in researching the history of the Tin Canners at the Hall of Fame library. I attended the 1999 Milford Gathering with Val Hunt, the curator of the Shelbourne Museum in Vermont and have missed very few since then. I was very honored to be a 2007 inductee into the TCT Hall of Fame.

I have attended over 100 rallies and RV shows around the country for both vintage and modern rigs and varying in size from about 30 units to over 5,000. From Idaho to New Mexico and from Maine to Florida I find that I enjoy mixing with RV people whether Canners or drivers of modern million dollar mobile mansions. I was honored to be the keynote speaker in 2012 for the first national RV rally in Beijing, China (missed a Milford gathering for that one) and found Chinese RVers to be very much like American RVers in their open socialization even in spite of language barriers. I had also been a speaker at an RV show in China in 2010.

What most people do not know about me is that I am an avid fisherman having fished bass tournaments from Canada to Florida and won 4 over-all season championships in my Michiana area fishing club. I now spend much of my time participating in country music jam sessions 4 or 5 days a week throughout central Florida performing Tom T. Hall and Homer and Jethro type silly songs and recitations.